SINGLETON Council and Muswellbrook Shire Council are continuing the fight to reduce harmful emissions from smoky chimneys in the area – an issue that produces up to seven times as much particle pollution as cars.

Singleton Council’s director planning and infrastructure Mark Ihlein said residents were often unaware of the potential health dangers associated with excessive smoke from household wood heaters.

“We encourage everyone with a wood heater to go outside and have a look at how much smoke is being emitted from their chimney,” he said.

“A smoky chimney can be a result of a number of things and usually simple actions such as opening the damper when using your wood heather and regular cleaning of chimney flues will reduce wood smoke emissions.”

Singleton and Muswellbrook councils are continuing to offer cash rebates for residents engaging professional chimney cleaning services this winter.

Additionally, council staff are available on request to inspect, monitor and educate local home owners with an ongoing smoky chimney.

Muswellbrook Shire Council’s sustainability coordinator Mark Scandrett said ongoing emittance of excessive smoke from your chimney not only had real negative impacts on neighbourhood health, but it was unlawful and could result in a smoke abatement notice or a $200 fine.

• The Surgeon General has determined that there is no safe level of exposure to ambient smoke!

• If you smell even a subtle odor of smoke, you are being exposed to poisonous and carcinogenic chemical compounds!

• Even a brief exposure to smoke raises blood pressure, (no matter what your state of health) and can cause blood clotting, stroke, or heart attack in vulnerable people. Even children experience elevated blood pressure when exposed to smoke!

• Since smoke drastically weakens the lungs' immune system, avoiding smoke is one of the best ways to prevent colds, flu, bronchitis, or risk of an even more serious respiratory illness, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis! Does your child have the flu? Chances are they have been exposed to ambient smoke!